A safety Net
by zebraz8
Summary: an abusive father. a missing mother, and nowhere to turn. MerDer and derekcentric t for now but will get moved to M later on
1. Chapter 1

**So i probably shouldnt start another fic but what can you do. this is AU merder and other characters. hope you enjoy**

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

The slap stung his face hard but he stood his ground and didnt flinch as HE pulled back for another swing.

It stung more the fifth time around but he had become accustomed to the bruises, cuts, and broken limbs. His body and mind became disconected on the nights when He was drinking more heavily than usual and turned into a raging monster that was far from the peaceful man he posed as for the rest of the world.

"Damnit boy!" He shouted again before kicking out one last time and turning on his heel and disapearing around the corner of the house for another beer most likely.

Derek pushed himself up from the ground where he had fallen and headed to his only refuge-Mark's.

----------------------------------------------------

_A soft laugh filled the calm summer air as Derek chased his father through the house in an attempt to tackle him. His mother and sisters watched and gigled as they raced after one another._

_"HA! I got you dad!" He shouted before latching onto his fathers leg and holding tight as he dragged him across the flor._

_"Sure did." His dad replied before lifting him to the couch and started to tickle him playfully._

Derek thought back to one of the happier memories as he trudged along the muddy road to his best friends house. He didnt remember what had started the drinking but he knew it had something to do with a younger woman named Fawn and a fight between his parents when he was about eight.

The memory of the night had seemed to have blocked its self and refused to open up without the key. Not that he really wanted to know but the knawing curiosity deepened with every beating. His mother and sisters had left years ago but HE refused to let Derek leave. Apparently "If that little hoar wants to leave thats her choice but you are MY son and you will suffer for her mistakes." or so his father told him.

-----------------------------------------------------

He rapped the window to Mark's room for the third time and again there was no answer. Mark was his stronghold where would he turn to next? He slowly climbed down the tree and onto the ground before tuning himself to the only other remaining option he knew...Meredith. Her mother was almost always working and her father was non-existant.

His feet hit the pavement in a steady tapping rythm as he slowly made his way there taking care not to pass by the houses of his fathers fellow doctors.

Her house was not far from Marks but it was not light by street lamps the entire way and the road we surrounded by a dense wood. The rustling leave and creaking branches of the trees made an odd sort of music for him as he jumped the gate surrounding the Grey residence and made his way to the front door of the huge house.

He knocked on the door and waited for several minuted before hearing the door unlatch and slowly creak open to a groggy Meredith who's eyes were filled with a thick fog of sleep. He Drank in the sight of her as he always did when he saw her, berore she noticed the large bruise on his left cheek.

She slowly raised her hand to his face and opened her mouth to ask what happened but was cut off.

"It's ok. Can I...Do you think?...Can i crash here tonight?" He asked rather hesitantly.

"Sure, come in." She replied before stepping aside and allowing him through the door and then shutting the cold night behind the door.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Derek, what happened to you?" she asked franticly as he shuffled to the kitchen.

"It's alright Mere. i just need a place to crash for the night." He answered slowly.

She stared at him icredulously before shouting, " IM NOT AN IDIOT DEREK!!!! You, are not alright! Your face looks like mince meat and you dont have a place to spend the night! you dont think i would see that your NOT alright?"

He turned to face her and ran his hand through the thick curls atop his head before answering,"I can't tell you Mere. I just can't tell you."

"Why the hell not!" she spat back in his face.

"Just trust me okay. I will tell you soon but i dont think i can just yet."

His mine soon wandered back to his younger days.

_His sisters danced in the puddle as th rain crashed down around them while he and mark picked at the worms pocking their head out of the ground during a hard rain. His mother and father emerged from the house laughing and smiling as we played with an innocence that only children possesed._

_"Hey Nancy look here!" Mark shouted while holding up a Large earthworm._

_"Eeew!!! Mark, what is that?" She squeeled._

_"I can't tell you it's a secret!"_

_"Is it a snake?" _

_"I told you it's a secret!"_

_------------------------------------------------------------------_

He rolled himself over on the small bed, his eyes flickering open and then shut rapidly. He couldnt sleep, there was something that kept edging it's way to the front of his mind but constantly disappeared when he tried to pull it into focus.

His flat and toned stomach ached from where He had kicked and hit him repeatedly, his lips felt very swolen and tasted faintly of blood.

Derek rose from the couch to scavenge for sleeping or at least a bottle of Ibeprophen. As he reached the hallway leading towards the bedrooms, he decided to instead make a slight detour.

The door to Her room pushed open quietly and he strode to he front of her bed.

Her hair lay spread out along the pillow in resemblance to a golden-brown halo. Her mouth curved upwards at the corners and he found himself grinning broadly at her slight and angel-like features. He watched the rise and fall of her chest for several minutes before pulling the covers over the curve of her shoulders and leaving just as quietly as he had come.

He wandered back down the hall and found sleeping pills in the first floor bathroom. He placed two on his tounge, swallowed, and placed the bottle back in the cupboard.

As he returned to his couch he glanced along the walls and noticed not even one single picture. He remembered back when his mother and sisters still lived with him and couldnt remember a time when the Wasn't a picture on the wall.

He thought slowly to himself,_ "maybe all doctors are rude unkind bastards."_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He woke up to the sun streaming through the tall glass windows and the smell of leftover pizza wafting through the air.

He pushed himself up from the couch and wandered to the kitchen where Meredith sat conently sipping at coffee and munching cold pizza.

"Morning." he said drowsily before pouring himself a glass and sitting on a stool next to her.

"Morning." she answered him without pulling her eyes away from her the paper.

"Umm...Thanks...for, letting me crash here and all.  
he said uncertainly.

"It's fine Derek." she answered with a little bite in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" he questioned seriously.

"I wouldn know..."

"Mere...i cant tell you. i wish...but it's just...and you are just..."

"Just what Derek? one of your best friends that has a right to know when you are close to living on the streets?"

"Yes...No...Meredith its not that simple."

"I'll see you at school Derek." she said curtly before turning and walking stifly to her room, leaving him to let himself out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

**Ok so read and review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this took so long! I'll try to get the next one up sooner!**

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The air was cold and crisp when he stepped out into the morning air. He peered across the street to addisons house and scoffed when he saw Marks car in the driveway. " Ass!" he thought to himself before starting back home to put on fresh clothes.

He reached the porch of the house he hadnt called home in about eight years and eased the door open as not to disturbe his most likely drunk ass father, even at 7 in the morning.

No such luck.

"Damnit! I told you not to come back! Get out of my fucking house right now you son of a Bitch!" he spat at derek before rising from the couch unsteadily and throwing his beer bottle at him.

Derek jumped away from the flying bottle as his fater stepped closer and closer to him.

Derek wasnt quick enough to dodge the first blow as He raised his hand and clipped him along the face and drew his hand back with a grin spreading across his face.

"Almost as good as hitting that Bitch of a mother you've got."

Dereks nostrils flared and without even thinking he lept at His throat and held him tight while his father turned a deep shade of purple.

His father reached to the nearest chair leg and overturned it on derek. the grip on his neck loosened and it was all he needed to flip over and stand quickly.

He looked down to derek on the floor before kicking him without pause again and again.He reached down and lifted derek by the shirt coller. When derek was standing on his feet again He punched him in the gut and kicked him down again.

Derek felt his knee's give way beneath him and moaned loudly in pain before the world went completely black.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meredith walked into the wide front doors of her highschool ready to work for another week before school let out for spring break.

She strode down the hallway and waved to her friends as she went. At her locker she was cornered by Cristina Yang-her person.

"Where were you the other night? We were supposed to go out remember?" Cristina asked before opening her own locker and throwing her books into it.

" Oh shit! I completely forgot about that! Derek came over and needed a place to stay...Did i tell you that he is being a complete Ass right now."

"No what did he do this time?"

"Well, i gave him a place to stay and he couldnt even have the decency to tell me why he needed it. Where is he anyways?"

"Who cares it's Marks job to know those things. I'll see you after class ok." Cristina said before walking not in the direction of her next class, but to Burkes locker.

Meredith sighed and walked toward the lunchroom, hoping to at least eat a donut before the bell rang.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek finished tucking in the tail of medical wrap that he had twisted around his torso in a sad attempt to secure what he knew was at least on if not more broken rib. He stepped back from the mirror and examined his body. He looked at his arms and decided that a long sleeve shirt was needed to cover the obvious bruising and cuts and if he wore a hat the gash along his forehead wouldnt be quite as visible.

He pulled the shirt over his head wincing at the horrible pain it brought and slowly pulled his arms through and slid it down over his chest.

He couldnt remember what had happened exactly. Just coming home from Merediths and then waking up in the damp cold celler some hours later. When he had tried to open the door it was locked so he crawled out of the sewer grate as he had learned the first summer after The Split. The moon and stars gave him light back to his house and he slipped in quietly without waking Him.

Derek peeked his head around the corner of his bedroom door and saw Him, sprawled on the couch with a bottle of scotch in his hand. He grabed his bag and snuck out the front door without a sound before bolting to his car and speeding off.

He was allready two hours late and he didnt kow if he could take a lot of anything today. His chest was aching and going to a hospital would mean the slight chance of seeing his father and emmbarrissing him by the comlpaint of "a little pain" which was a risk he wasnt willing to take.

_The glass shattered in a splash of shards somewhere above his head as he dove for the safety of his room only hours after his mom and sisters had left to go "shopping" for the last time. _

_Footsteps pounded heavy behind him as what had once been his dad followed him to the doorway of his bedroom. Derek shut and locked the door only seconds before it splintered by the hinges and crashed inwards._

_HIS huge hand reached to derek and pulled him up by his small neck. _

_Derek kicked and bit trying to claw his way out of the grip but He only tightened his hand and shook him from side to side making his head light and the world around him swim in circles._

_Before he could regester what was happening he was sprawled on the floor of the celler and blood spilled from his head. Slowly the darkness crept over him and the pain of it all washed away into the deep dream of unconsiousness._

Maybe things would never change

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr. Shepherd you are late. Do you have a pass from the office?" His third block teacher asked him the second he tried to slip into a seat at the back of the room.

"umm no, Mrs. Shecker. Sorry." He replied as he squeezed into his seat.

"Start your assignment and see me after class." She said before turning to the blackboard and scribbling fiercely.

"Yes ma'am." He said before lowering his eyes to the textbook infront of him and falling away into his schoolwork.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr. Shepherd! What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing Mrs. Shecker. I just forgot to set the alarm this morning, thats all." Derek replied.

"Don't let it happen again. This is your last warning. Now go on before your late for your next class." She said effectively shooing him out the door.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek walked through the lunch line slowly not taking much of anything. When his plate had tiny helpings of not even half his usual servings he walked to his normal table and sat down to wait for the rest of his friends.

The gang arived within minutes and the peace and quiet he had been enjoying vanished. He looked around and his eyes locked on Meredith as she sat oppisite him at the table.

Her smile light the room and her laugh filled the air. She was so beautiful and not in that make-up so thick you dont know where the face really starts kind of way. But in a natural, what beauty was meant to look like sort of way.

And he couldn't tell her.

"Dude, Your staring." Mark broke him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the real world.

"Oh, umm I was just thinking." he stammered out his response without taking his eyes away from Meredith.

"Where were you? I called like five times yesterday and you didnt pick up once." Mark accused before stuffing his face with an assortment of fries and burger.

"umm...i was outside working all day. My dad wanted to get some yardwork done."

"So you didnt check your voicemail when you were done?"

"Yeah I just forgot. Can we drop it?"

"Ok."

The conversation dropped to a dull murmer of what everyone did over the weekend and Derek sat quietly listning intently to the sound of Her voice, imagining what it would be like if he could actually tell her how he felt.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

He slowly walked down the path that ran through the woods between his house and Mark's. He had left his car there and was going back-hopefully for the last time-to get some clothes.

The day was finally over and his ribs weren't hurting too bad, as long as Mark didn't give him one of the trademark backclaps he would be all right.

The sun softly filtered through the trees casting a shadowy light across the floor of the forest. He loved it here. It was just so...peaceful.

Peaceful.

Ha! There's a word the never crossed his mind. The deadly war between father and son raged on constant. Peace wasnt a familiar term.

"Hey!"

His world stopped. Maybe peace was familiar. He turned to face what he knew was exactly what he thought of peace.

Meredith.

"Mark said you'd be here." She said before walking closer to him.

"Yeah. Just going to get some fresh clothes." Her eyes. He could get lost in those eyes.

"Oh...Well listen, Im sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to be rude like that or anything." She said closing the gap between them.

"I uh...I..." he couldn't concentrate with her this close. Her shampoo had seeped into his nostrils and it was overpowering.

"I actually came here to...uhh, to tell you something." She looked nervously at the ground and then back to his face quickly. "Derek...I uhh...I..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**haha ok soo if you like this fic and want me to keep going on here i really need reviews!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**WOW! I am very sorry for not updating this past…well it seems like a year but it wasn't quite that long. I've been very busy because I just started my Freshman year at high school (doesn't sound like much) and I was also occupied on trying to get a hockey scholarship to a private high school. So if I have any old readers still waiting I would like to apologize again and to new readers, please review and I'm warning you now to just try to be patient. Anyways, on with the story.**

**--**

_"Derek hunny. I need you to listen to me. We have to leave, we can't stay here. I'm taking the girls first. When we go shopping today we won't be coming back. You're not going to be able to come today but you're going to be coming really soon. Trust me, Okay?"_

_"I love you mom."_

_"I love you too hun. Soo much"_

"Derek….I, wanted to tell you this for a while but I just haven't been able to work up the courage until now. I'm not even sure that I have it right now but I'm just going to tell you."

Now or never Derek. Put it out there before she crushes you. Just let her no how you feel. Don't be a pussy, you got this.

"Remember Sophomore year? That trip for the Outdoor Pursuits class?"

He stepped a little bit closer. Not that it was a good idea for his resolve or anything but how can you resist that perfect face. She just lured him in and now she was going for the kill.

He remembered oh yeah that wasn't something he would ever forget.

_"Derek. I really like you…"_

_"Oh God Mere! Don't start with that crap. You know I don't like you. I'm with Addison and I wouldn't like you even if I weren't. You're a whore."_

_She ran away crying and the next day it was like it never happened. She started going out with Mark, and he sat by the sidelines trying to at least win her friendship back._

_He regretted that moment more than anything. The truth was, she wasn't a whore, not even close. The entire school made fun of her and spread rumors about it all the time but he knew otherwise. He really liked her too but it was his reputation on the line. Back then he was the kind of kid who cared about that kind of thing._

Now she's going to tell you that she never should've let you back into her life. God you're an idiot. Better do it now before she cuts the ties, maybe it will hurt less if she knows how you feel.

He stepped even closer so that his body was pressed against hers. She looked surprised but not angry like he thought she might be. He locked onto her enthralling eyes and grabbed the small of her back very gently. Hesitation. Damnit! It's not like he wasn't experienced, but this was Mere!

She started pulling away a little bit so he placed his other hand behind her neck and pushed his lips to hers. She was startled but it's not like she couldn't have seen it coming.

She timidly kissed him back and slowly let go of her restraints. The heat between them was irresistible. She tasted sweet and the smell was killing him. If he didn't stop, the fact that it was Mere wouldn't be able to stop him from going too far.

He pulled away and they both stared at each other while they tried to catch their breath.

"Derek…"

"I should go sorry about that. I'm glad we could be friends for as long as it lasted anyways, and I understand why you don't want to be friends with me anymore. I'll get…."

"Derek, what are you talking about? That's not where I'm going with this at all. I still feel the same way I did two years ago."

He smirked and cocked his head.

"So you've been pining for me?"

"No, I have not!" Indignation was obvious, "I just still have feelings for you."

That was it. No more resolve. He pushed her against the nearest tree. She pulled off his hat and pressed her face to his.

This was what it was supposed to be like. Life was supposed to be happy and fun, you were supposed to admit your feelings to the girl next door. This was what it was all about.

She put her hand against his chest and his ribs screamed in pain, definately more than one broken rib, and he winced suddenly. The kiss broke and she looked into his eyes apologetically.

"I'm sorry. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just remembered that I have a huge test tomorrow that I really need to do good on. I'll drive you home?"

To bad that's what life was really like. A greedy asshole father and a lot of broken promised that filled the cracks in a broken home.

"Sure, I'd like that."

He grabbed her hand and they started back down the path to his car.

"So are we and item now?" he asked with the trademark smirk.

"I'm appalled, not even a date and already you want to have a label?"

"Then what about a date? Tomorrow, seven o'clock. Nothing fancy, jeans and a t-shirt okay."

He pulled into her driveway and she leaned in to kiss him. He back off harshly.

"Not even a first date and your trying to kiss me? I'm a second date kinda guy."

He pulled out of her driveway without a response. Now for the hard part. He was sure HE was home by now, probably already drunk too. Why he hadn't grabbed all of his things and thrown them in his car this morning he didn't know but now he was going to pay for that.

--

**Hope it was up to standard. I hope people are still interested. Comment if you are.**


End file.
